1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrow rest for use with a compound bow.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the sport of archery, compound bows exist which, unlike standard long bows, comprise a plurality of pulleys. The pulleys cooperate with tuning cables and the bowstring to enable an archer to hold the bowstring in a drawn position with ease.
Compound bows can be used with various types of arrows. Arrows typically have three or more feathers or vanes, which are commonly known as fletching. The fletching may extend radially outward perpendicularly from the arrow shaft. Alternatively, the fletching may extend radially outward from the shaft while being helixed slightly to induce spin on the arrow and thereby facilitate arrow flight.
Whether a compound bow is used for target shooting or hunting, it is desirable that the flight of the arrow shot from the bow be as accurate as possible. A major factor affecting the accuracy of the arrow flight is the arrow rest upon which the arrow lies when loaded into the bow. That is, the fletching of the arrow often strikes the arrow rest when the arrow is released from the bow, thus impeding the smooth flight of the arrow.
Numerous arrow rests exist, each being designed to minimize contact with the arrow fletching and/or to compensate for the deflection of the arrow as it passes over the arrow rest. Often, an archer will choose arrows having a fletching configuration best suited for use with a particular type of arrow rest or vice versa.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,988, and, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,865,007, 4,865,008, it is desirable to have an overdraw assembly having an arrow rest that moves out of the path of the arrow when the arrow is released. As described in these patents, the fletching strikes the arrow rest and moves the arrow rest out of position, thus allowing only minimal contact between the arrow rest and fletching and providing a more accurate trajectory. Furthermore, damage to the fletching is minimized. Nevertheless, even though such arrow rest devices mounted on overdraw assemblies are intended to provide a flatter trajectory, the resistance caused by the fletching striking these arrow rests still adversely affects the path of the arrow and also damages the fletching, although to a lesser degree.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,014 teaches an arrow rest assembly that automatically, upon release of the bowstring, springs out of the path of the arrow. In this arrangement, it is not necessary for the fletching of the arrow to strike the arrow rest to move the arrow rest out of the path of the arrow. However, such an assembly is incorporated into the handle portion of the frame of the compound bow and does not provide an overdraw feature. Hence, it was desirable to develop an arrow rest which is mounted to an overdraw assembly and automatically falls out of the arrow""s path without interfering with the fletching of the arrow.
Such an apparatus is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,514. In that apparatus, the arrow rest and overdraw assembly is mounted to the frame of the compound bow and comprises a special hollow rod extending rearwardly from the frame. A springloaded release mechanism is attached to the hollow rod at an end of the rod closest to the frame. A cable slide is disposed about the hollow rod and attached to the tension cables (tuning cables) of the bow to slidably move along the rod when the bow is drawn back. This action allows the spring loaded mechanism to lift the arrow rest and consequently lift the arrow to a position for firing.
When the arrow is released, the cable slide moves forward along the rod and cooperates with a pin in the rod to forcibly compress the spring loaded mechanism and thereby move the arrow rest downward and away from the path of the arrow. Although such an apparatus achieves the object of providing an overdraw assembly having an arrow rest that automatically moves away from the path of the arrow so as to not interfere with the fletching, such a complicated apparatus has many inter-engaging and moving parts which are costly and highly susceptible to wear and tear. Furthermore, because a special hollow cable guard is needed, the apparatus is not adaptable with a standard cable guard on a standard compound bow.
In addition, the noise caused by the spring activated mechanism can scare a game animal such as a deer and consequently result in the hunter missing his intended target. These disadvantages thus render such an apparatus impractical and present a need for an overdraw and arrow rest assembly which is simple, quiet, inexpensive and less susceptible to wear and tear.
Compound bows normally have two or more lengths of cable trained over limb cable wheels or cams and spanning the length of the bow close to and about parallel to the bowstring. As the arrow is shot, its fletching may strike the cables, causing the fletching to become worn and reducing arrow accuracy.
A solution to this problem is a cable guard, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,452,222; 4,4542,732; and 6,178,958. Such cable guards generally consist of a rod attached at one end to the bow riser and extending therefrom beyond the cables when the bow is fully drawn and spaced laterally from the bow string sufficiently to avoid any interference therewith; and a cable retaining member or slide mounted on the rod that captures the bow cables.
However, the archer may in some cases let go of the bow or the bow may slip from his hand, causing the tension in the bowstring to cause the cable guard to strike and injure the archer. Hence, cable pulleys have been invented for cable guides. Cable pulleys have a pulley receiving the tuning cable, so that when the bowstring is drawn, the tuning cable moves downwardly without moving rearwardly, and when the bowstring is released the tuning cable moves upwardly without moving forwardly.
There is a need for an arrow rest for a compound bow that addresses the above problems and works with cable pulleys instead of a dangerous rod-like cable guards.
An arrow rest assembly for use with a compound bow, the compound bow having a riser, a bowstring, and a tuning cable, the arrow rest assembly comprising:
(a) a first arm pivotally attached to the riser;
(b) a second arm connected to the first arm, the second arm receiving an arrow rest;
(c) a third arm pivotally attached to the first arm, the third arm having a first end adjacent the first arm and a second end; and
(d) a cable attachment at the second end of the third arm, the cable attachment securely attached to the tuning cable
wherein movement of the bowstring away from the riser causes the third arm to move downwardly and forwardly, in turn causing the first arm to pivot upwardly on the riser thereby lifting the second arm and arrow rest upwardly, and wherein release of the bowstring causes the third arm to move upwardly and rearwardly, in turn causing the first arm to pivot downwardly on the riser thereby rapidly lowering the second arm and the arrow rest downwardly.
The invention also preferably comprises a cable guide having a pulley receiving the tuning cable, so that when the bowstring is drawn, the tuning cable moves downwardly without moving rearwardly, and when the bowstring is released the tuning cable moves upwardly without moving forwardly.